Refrigerator with illumination unit

ABSTRACT

A refrigerator includes a storage compartment and an air channel assembly extending along an inner wall of the storage compartment. The air channel assembly includes a first wall facing a storage space and a second wall opposite to the first wall, and there is an interval between the first wall and the second wall to form an air channel. The first wall includes at least one air vent in fluid communication with the storage space and the air channel. An illumination unit is disposed on the second wall and is configured to emit light toward the first wall to illuminate the air vent.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a refrigerator, and in particular, to a refrigerator with an illumination unit.

BACKGROUND

CN106885180A discloses a light emitting component for an air channel, used at an air outlet of a refrigerator. A light source is disposed inside the air channel and emits light to the air outlet for reflection. The light source is mounted in an inner wall of the air channel through a lamp board slot.

SUMMARY

An objective of embodiments of the present invention is to provide an improved refrigerator with an illumination unit.

An aspect of the embodiments of the present invention relates to a refrigerator. The refrigerator includes: a storage compartment; an air channel assembly, extending along an inner wall of the storage compartment, where the air channel assembly includes a first wall facing a storage space and a second wall opposite to the first wall, there is an interval between the first wall and the second wall to form an air channel, and the first wall includes at least one air vent in fluid communication with the storage space and the air channel; and an illumination unit, disposed on the second wall, and configured to emit light toward the first wall to illuminate the air vent.

In the prior art, an illumination unit emits light directly from a first wall to an air vent located in the first wall, to ensure that the illumination unit needs to protrude from the first wall into an air channel to form a particular angle with the first wall before the illumination unit can illuminate the air vent. However, in this embodiment of the present invention, the illumination unit disposed on a second wall emits light toward the first wall, and because there may be a distance between the illumination unit and the air vent in a direction perpendicular to an inner wall, the illumination unit does not need to protrude into the air channel as in the prior art, which helps to reduce the impact of the illumination unit located in the air channel assembly on airflow. With an appropriate design, it may be expected that the impact of the illumination unit on the airflow is completely avoided.

The air vent may be an air outlet for discharging air into the storage space from the air channel and/or an air inlet for introducing air into the air channel from the storage space.

The first wall and the second wall may be respectively formed by a pair of cover plates disposed opposite to each other.

The inner wall of the storage compartment may include a rear wall, a top wall and/or side walls of the storage compartment.

In an advantageous embodiment, projections of the illumination unit and the air vent on the second wall do not overlap. The illumination unit disposed on the second wall emits light toward the first wall to illuminate the air channel, to ensure that light that is at least reflected/diffusely reflected twice enters the air vent to allow the air vent to be illuminated softly. In another aspect, this effectively reduces a possibility that the illumination unit is visible through the air vent.

In a possible embodiment, the refrigerator includes at least two air vents distributed at an interval, the illumination unit being located between adjacent air vents. Therefore, the air channel can be illuminated by one illumination unit to illuminate the adjacent air vents, thereby helping to improve illumination efficiency.

In a possible embodiment, in a pair of adjacent air vents, the illumination unit is closer to the air vent located upstream in an airflow direction.

In a possible embodiment, air flows from bottom to top in the air channel, and in a pair of vertically adjacent air vents, the illumination unit is closer to the lower air vent in the pair of air vents.

In a possible embodiment, at least one pair of adjacent air vents are provided with air deflectors disposed along edges of the air vents, the air deflectors extend into the air channel, each air deflector includes a first surface facing the air vents and a second surface opposite to the first surface, the first surface of the air deflector of the air vent located downstream in the airflow direction is exposed to the illumination unit located between the pair of air vents, and the second surface of the air deflector of the air vent located upstream in the airflow direction is exposed to the illumination unit located between the pair of air vents.

In a possible embodiment, the refrigerator includes at least three air vents distributed at intervals in the airflow direction of the air channel and at least two illumination units, each illumination unit and each air vent being distributed in a staggered manner in the airflow direction in the air channel.

In a possible embodiment, the illumination unit includes a light emitting element, and an intersection between an optical axis of the light emitting element and the first wall is located outside any air vent.

In a possible embodiment, the illumination unit includes the light emitting element, and the intersection between the optical axis of the light emitting element and the first wall is located between a pair of air vents distributed at an interval.

In a possible embodiment, the illumination unit includes the light emitting element, and the optical axis of the light emitting element is parallel to a thickness direction of the first wall, or an angle between the optical axis of the light emitting element and the thickness direction of the first wall is less than 15 degrees.

In a possible embodiment, the air channel extends along the rear wall of the storage compartment, side walls of the storage compartment include at least two support portions distributed at an interval in a vertical direction, the support portions are configured to support a glass tray, and the illumination unit is adapted to illuminate an air vent located between a pair of vertically adjacent support portions to form a mirror image of the air vent through the glass tray.

In a possible embodiment, the second wall includes a groove recessed away from the air channel, and the illumination unit is at least partially located in the groove.

In a possible embodiment, the illumination unit includes a lampshade facing the first wall, and the lampshade is at least partially located in the groove to avoid protruding from or to protrude slightly from a front surface of the second wall facing the first wall.

The structure of the present invention and other inventive objectives and beneficial effects thereof will become more comprehensible from the description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following accompanying drawings, as a part of the specification and provided to further understand the present invention, describe specific implementations of the present invention and are used to describe the principle of the present invention along with the specification. In the figures:

FIG. 1 is a partial three-dimensional view of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a refrigerator in an A-A direction in FIG. 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic partial cross-sectional view of a second wall mounted with an illumination element according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view in a B-B direction in FIG. 3 .

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 , a refrigerator 100 includes a storage compartment 101 provided with a front opening 10 and a door used for closing the storage compartment 101 (not shown in the figure).

The storage compartment 101 includes a rear wall 103 facing the opening 10, a pair of side walls 104, a top wall 105, and a bottom wall (not shown in the figure). At least one of these inner walls of the storage compartment 101 may be defined by an inner chamber 108 wrapped by a heat-insulating material.

The refrigerator 100 may include a main illumination unit 106 disposed on the top wall 105 or the side walls 104, to illuminate the storage compartment 101.

The side walls 104 may be provided with a plurality of pairs of support portions 107 distributed at intervals in a vertical direction H. Two sides of a tray 2 may be supported on a pair of support portions 107 located at the same height to place items. The tray 2 may include a transparent and smooth glass board.

The refrigerator 100 includes an air channel assembly 3 extending along the inner wall of the storage compartment 101. In an exemplary embodiment, the air channel assembly 3 is disposed along the rear wall 103. In another embodiment, the air channel assembly 3 may further be disposed along the rear wall 103 and/or the top wall 105.

A storage space 110 is formed in front of the storage compartment 101 located on the air channel assembly 3, to arrange a storage apparatus (for example, the tray 2 or a drawer) used for placing items.

The air channel assembly 3 includes a first wall 31 facing the storage space 110 and a second wall 32 opposite to the first wall 31. There is an interval between the first wall 31 and the second wall 32 to form an air channel 33. The first wall 31 is exposed to the storage space 110, and when a user opens the door, the first wall 31 is visible.

The first wall 31 includes a plurality of air vents 34 a, 34 b, 34 c, and 34 d in fluid communication with the storage space 110 and the air channel 33. In an embodiment, air in the air channel 33 enters the storage space 110 through the air vents 34 a, 34 b, 34 c, and 34 d.

The air channel assembly 3 may further include a return air outlet (not shown in the figure) allowing air to pass through the storage space 110 to return to the air channel 33.

The air vents 34 a, 34 b, 34 c, and 34 d may be distributed at intervals in an airflow direction in the air channel 33. In this embodiment, the air vents 34 a, 34 b, 34 c, and 34 d are distributed vertically at intervals on the first wall 31.

In an exemplary embodiment, air flows from bottom to top in the air channel 33. An air deflector 35 may be disposed on an upper edge of the air vent 34 a, 34 b, 34 c or 34 d. The air deflector 35 extends into the air channel 33 from the upper edge of the air vent 34 a, 34 b, 34 c or 34 d, to guide air to pass through the air vents 34 a, 34 b, 34 c, and 34 d to enter the storage space 110. One side of the air deflector 35 facing the corresponding air vent 34 a, 34 b, 34 c or 34 d may be a curved surface concaving backward and upward, to better guide air to pass through the air vents 34 a, 34 b, 34 c, and 34 d to enter the storage space 110.

In another embodiment, air may flow from top to bottom in the air channel 33. The air deflectors of the air vents may be adaptively changed to guide airflow.

The refrigerator 100 includes at least one illumination unit 4, and the illumination unit 4 is located in the air channel assembly 3 to illuminate at least one air vent 34 a, 34 b, 34 c or 34 d. The illumination unit 4 may be atmospheric illumination to improve a visual effect of the storage compartment 101.

The illumination unit 4 includes a light emitting element 41. The light emitting element 41 may be an LED lamp. The illumination unit 4 may include a plurality of light emitting elements 41 distributed at intervals. The light emitting element 41 may be fastened on a printed circuit board 43.

The illumination unit 4 may include a lampshade 42, and light illuminates the first wall 31 through the lampshade.

The illumination unit 4 is disposed on the second wall 32 to illuminate the at least one air vent 34 a, 34 b, 34 c or 34 d.

The illumination unit 4 may be disposed on one side of the second wall 32 facing the first wall 31.

Projections of the illumination unit 4 and each air vent 34 a, 34 b, 34 c or 34 d on the second wall 32 do not overlap. In this way, a probability that the illumination unit 4 disposed on the second wall 32 is visible to the user through the air vent 34 a, 34 b, 34 c or 34 d can be reduced, and in addition, a possibility that the illumination unit 4 emits light directly to the air vent 34 a, 34 b, 34 c or 34 d is reduced.

The illumination unit 4 may be disposed between a pair of adjacent air vents 34 a and 34 b, 34 b and 34 c or 34 c and 34 d. For example, at least one illumination unit is disposed between the air vents 34 b and 34 c, and at least one illumination unit is disposed between the air vents 34 c and 34 d.

When the refrigerator includes at least three air vents distributed at intervals in the airflow direction of the air channel 33, the refrigerator may include at least two illumination units, each illumination unit and each air vent being distributed in a staggered manner in the airflow direction in the air channel.

Each air deflector 35 includes a first surface 351 facing a corresponding air vent and a second surface 352 opposite to the first surface 351. In the pair of adjacent air vents 34 b and 34 c or 34 c and 34 d, the first surface 351 of the air deflector 35 of the air vent 34 b or 34 c located downstream in the airflow direction is exposed to the illumination unit 4 located between the pair of air vents 34 b and 34 c or 34 c and 34 d, and the second surface 352 of the air deflector of the air vent 34 c or 34 d located upstream in the airflow direction is exposed to the illumination unit 4 located between the pair of air vents 34 b and 34 c or 34 c and 34 d.

In a pair of adjacent air vents 34 b and 34 c, the illumination unit 4 is closer to the air vent 34 c located upstream in an airflow direction AF.

In another pair of adjacent air vents 34 c and 34 d, the illumination unit 4 is closer to the air vent 34 d located upstream in the airflow direction AF.

This helps to reduce the impact of the air deflectors 35 on air vents located upstream, so that adjacent air vents can obtain the same/close light intensity.

In an implementation of airflow from bottom to top in the air channel 33, in a pair of vertically adjacent air vents, the illumination unit is closer to the lower air vent in the pair of air vents.

For example, as shown in FIG. 2 , a distance D1 between the air vent 34 b and the illumination unit 4 located between the pair of air vents 34 b and 34 c is greater than a distance D2 between the air vent 34 c and the illumination unit 4. In another example, a distance D3 between the air vent 34 c and the illumination unit 4 located between the pair of air vents 34 c and 34 d is greater than a distance D4 between the air vent 34 d and the illumination unit 4.

An intersection between an optical axis a of the light emitting element 41 and the first wall 31 is preferably located outside any air vent 34 a, 34 b, 34 c or 34 d. When the light emitting element 41 and the any air vent do not overlap and the optical axis of the light emitting element 41 does not intersect the air vent 34 a, 34 b, 34 c or 34 d, most of light emitted from the illumination unit 4 may be reflected or diffusely reflected by the first wall 31 and the second wall 32 to illuminate the air vents 34 a, 34 b, 34 c, and 34 d, which helps to reduce a possibility that the user directly views the illumination unit 4 and also helps to improve a visual effect of the air vents 34 a, 34 b, 34 c, and 34 d illuminated by soft light, thereby helping to improve the atmospheric illumination of the storage compartment 101.

Preferably, the optical axis a of the light emitting element 41 is parallel to a thickness direction of the first wall 31. The optical axis a may be approximately perpendicular to the first wall 31. In an alternative embodiment, an angle between the optical axis a of the light emitting element 41 and the thickness direction of the first wall 31 is less than 15 degrees.

As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3 , the air vents 34 a, 34 b, 34 c, and 34 d may be provided with an elongated shape extending in a width direction W of the storage compartment 101. A length of the illumination unit 4 in the width direction W of the storage compartment 101 may be greater than a length of an adjacent air vent 34 a, 34 b, 34 c or 34 d in the width direction W of the storage compartment 101, so that the air channel 33 may have more balanced brightness, so that the air vents 34 a, 34 b, 34 c, and 34 d can be uniformly illuminated.

At least one air vent located between two pairs of support portions 107 is illuminated, so that it is possible to improve brightness of the storage space 110 through the glass board of the tray 2 supported on the support portions 107. More importantly, during observation from a front side of the storage compartment 101, an illuminated air vent may form a mirror image through the tray 2, to further improve the visual effect of the storage compartment 101. The effect of the illumination unit 4 for atmospheric illumination of the storage space can be advantageously improved.

The illumination unit 4 may be used as a pre-assembled member to be fastened to the second wall 32. The second wall 32 may include a groove 6 recessed away from the first wall 31, and the illumination unit 4 is at least partially located in the groove 6. The illumination unit 4 preferentially does not protrude or protrudes slightly from a front surface 320 of the second wall 32 facing the first wall 31. This helps in particular to reduce the impact of the illumination unit 4 used for illuminating the air channel 33 on the airflow.

The illumination unit 4 may include the lampshade 43 facing the first wall 31, and the lampshade 43 may be partially located in the groove 6.

As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 , a length of the groove 6 may be greater than a width of the illumination unit 4, so that during mounting, after a first end 45 of the illumination unit 4 is adapted to slide in a length direction of the groove 6 until a stop portion 451 located at the first end 45 of the illumination unit 4 extends into an inner side of a block portion 63 that protrudes from a first end wall 61 of the groove 6 toward a second end wall 62 opposite to the first end wall 61, a second end 46 of the illumination unit 4 rotates toward the second end wall 62 of the groove 6 with a contact position of the stop portion 451 and the block portion as a rotating pivot (schematically shown by an arrow X in FIG. 4 ). When the second end 46 of the illumination unit 4 is clamped with a snap-fit apparatus in the groove 6, the illumination unit 4 is fastened to the second wall 32. There is an interval between the second end 46 of the illumination unit 4 and the second end wall 62. Other connecting mechanisms may further be disposed between two other sides of the illumination unit 4 and corresponding inner side walls of the groove 6.

Various embodiments described with reference to FIG. 1 to FIG. 4 may be combined with each other in any given manner to realize the advantage of the present invention. In addition, the present invention is not limited to the shown embodiments. Usually, apart from the shown means, other means can also be used as long as the means can also achieve the same effect. 

1-14. (canceled)
 15. A refrigerator, comprising: a storage compartment having an inner wall; an air channel assembly extending along said inner wall of said storage compartment, wherein said air channel assembly having a first wall facing a storage space and a second wall opposite to said first wall, defined between said first wall and said second wall is an interval forming an air channel, and said first wall having at least one air vent in fluid communication between said storage space and said air channel; and an illumination unit, disposed on said second wall, and configured to emit light toward said first wall to illuminate said at least one air vent.
 16. The refrigerator according to claim 15, wherein projections of said illumination unit and said air vent on said second wall do not overlap.
 17. The refrigerator according to claim 15, wherein said at least one air vent is one of at least two air vents distributed at an interval, said illumination unit being disposed between adjacent ones of said air vents.
 18. The refrigerator according to claim 17, wherein in a pair of adjacent said air vents, said illumination unit is closer to an air vent of said pair of adjacent said air vents disposed upstream in an airflow direction.
 19. The refrigerator according to claim 17, wherein air flows from bottom to top in said air channel, and in a pair of vertically adjacent said air vents, said illumination unit is closer to a lower air vent in said pair of vertically adjacent said air vents.
 20. The refrigerator according to claim 18, wherein said pair of adjacent said air vents are provided with air deflectors disposed along edges of said air vents, said air deflectors extend into said air channel, each of said air deflectors contains a first surface facing said air vents and a second surface opposite to said first surface, said first surface of said air deflector of said air vent disposed downstream in the airflow direction is exposed to said illumination unit disposed between said pair of adjacent said air vents, and said second surface of said air deflector of said air vent disposed upstream in the airflow direction is exposed to said illumination unit disposed between said pair of adjacent said air vents.
 21. The refrigerator according to claim 15, wherein: said at least one air vent is one of at least three air vents distributed at intervals in an airflow direction of said air channel; and said illumination unit is one of at least two illumination units, each of said illumination units and each of said air vents being distributed in a staggered manner in the airflow direction in said air channel.
 22. The refrigerator according to claim 15, wherein said illumination unit contains a light emitting element, and an intersection between an optical axis of said light emitting element and said first wall is disposed outside said at least one air vent.
 23. The refrigerator according to claim 17, wherein said illumination unit has a light emitting element, and an intersection between an optical axis of said light emitting element and said first wall is disposed between a pair of said air vents distributed at the interval.
 24. The refrigerator according to claim 15, wherein said illumination unit has a light emitting element, and an optical axis of said light emitting element is parallel to a thickness direction of said first wall, or an angle between the optical axis of said light emitting element and the thickness direction of said first wall is less than 15 degrees.
 25. The refrigerator according to claim 15, further comprising a glass tray; and wherein said storage compartment has a rear wall and said air channel extends along said rear wall of said storage compartment; wherein said storage compartment has side walls, said side walls of said storage compartment have at least two support portions distributed at an interval in a vertical direction, said support portions are configured to support said glass tray; and wherein said illumination unit is adapted to illuminate said at least one air vent disposed between a pair of vertically adjacent said support portions to form a mirror image of said at least one air vent through said glass tray.
 26. The refrigerator according to claim 15, wherein said second wall has a groove formed therein and recessed away from said air channel, and said illumination unit is at least partially disposed in said groove.
 27. The refrigerator according to claim 26, wherein said illumination unit has a lampshade facing said first wall, said lampshade is at least partially disposed in said groove to avoid protruding from or to protrude slightly from a front surface of said second wall facing said first wall.
 28. The refrigerator according to claim 26, wherein a length of said groove is greater than a length of said illumination unit, and during mounting, a first end of said illumination unit is adapted to slide in a length direction of said groove until a stop portion located at said first end of said illumination unit extends into an inner side of a block portion that protrudes from one end wall of said groove toward another end wall of said groove. 